Experiences of an American on the European postdoc market
Dear Postdocs and Graduate Students,
On Mon., Feb. 9, 12pm Eastern US, on Zoom, Dr. Tess Brewer will discuss, 'Experiences of an American on the European postdoc market'
Dr. Brewer is an FSU undergraduate alum. She double-majored in Biological Science and Biochemistry, and did her Honors in the Major in Bio on Sinorhizobium/bacteriophage interactions.
She received her PhD from CU Boulder in Noah Fierer's lab on 'Ecological Strategies of Soil Bacteria and Archaea'. Her postdoctoral work in Switzerland and Germany has been on the regulation of bacterial translation by rare amino acid motifs and on the effects of horizontal gene transfer of translation factor-encoding sequences on the evolution of bacteria.
Hope you can all participate!
Kay
Zoom link
https://fsu.zoom.us/j/98655366045
3-Part Grants Workshop
REGISTRATION is now OPEN - Deadline to register by Feb 17, 2026
The OPDA is partnering with OGFA and the Office of Research to host three interconnected workshops to assist postdoctoral scholars and graduate trainees with the preparation of extramural applications for grants. Not familiar with how to prepare a competitive fellowship or grant application packet with your mentor to support your independent research? This workshop is for you!
Scholars and trainees that participate in all three sessions and submit their proposal to an extramural agency are eligible to receive an intramural grant award that is used to support training-related expenses of their research project ($1000 graduate trainees, $1,500 postdoctoral scholars). These scholarships are generously provided by the Office of Research lead my new VP for Research, Dr. Stacy Patterson. Trainees must attend all 3 workshop components and submit the extramural application to be eligible.
Part I - Introduction to Extramural Grant Mechanisms and Grantsmanship = February 25-26th, 2026
Abstracts Due - April 15, 2026
Part II - Specitic Aims in Peer Writing Groups = May 13-14th, 2026 and June 3-4th, 2026
Full Proposal Due - August 10, 2026
Part III - Mock Study Sections = Sept 17-18th, 2026 and October 1-2nd, 2026
Applications will be reviewed, critiqued and scored by reviewers in a simulated mock study section. You will prearrange a 5-member faculty panel that are experts in your research area to serve as grant reviewers of your full application or research plan. Your research mentor will chair this session and you will record their profession critiques to modify your application internally before you submit it externally to the funding agency.
Neuroscience & Chemosensory Postdoctoral Training Program/Recruitment Symposium
APRIL 20-21, 2026 APPLICATION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 1ST
Senior PhD Candidates and Early-stage Postdocs are invited to give oral presentations of their work and explore the Florida State University campus, Tallahassee FL, to gain insights into the 30-year NIH training program in the specialty of Chemical Senses Research.
Interactions with faculty preceptors, current trainees, and former alumni of the program provide context of how we shape the competitive bridge to a career as an independent scientist or specialist professional.
"Welcome" Mini-Orientation Sessions for New Postdoctoral Scholars on Campus
Honors, Scholars & Fellows House, Room 3008, noon (12 pm) on Monday, April 27, 2026
REGISTRATION will open in mid Spring
All new postdoctoral scholars on campus are invited to the next upcoming new postdoctoral scholar "Welcome." The "Welcome" format of orientation serves to give new postdocs the basics of the full required orientation program in the spans of an hour over the lunch period. It is designed for scholars that initiate their training during the year rather than in synchrony with the start of the school year in August. You can converse with Human Resources representatives about initiating your employee benefits within the 60-day onboarding window, learn about support for global engagements, join the leadership team of our postdoctoral association (PDA), and hear about opportunities for fellowships, travel awards, and professional development activities.
Debi, Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
Agenda:
General PD Opportunities, Expectations, and Professional Development (Fadool)
International Engagements (Schaad/Lawson)
Program in Instructional Excellence (Kelly)
Human Resources - Health Insurance and Retirement Benefits (Hoffman)
Join the PDA!! (Carr)
Spring Event
Save the date! - May 8, 2026
Registration will open in late spring, along with further details of the symposium events.
Government funding for scientific research is at a crossroads and facing challenges unlike any experienced before. Federal policies enacted over the last year will have lasting impacts and could forever change the way academic research is supported and conducted in the U.S. Wendy Naus, Executive Director of the Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA) in Washington, DC, will discuss the current landscape for federal science funding and policy and ways the academic research community can respond. We hope you can join us for an impactful session to include both our national guest keynote speaker (Title of lecture = "The State of Federal Science Funding: Rising to the Challenge"), along with informative panel discussion by local faculty members. The spring event is a professional development symposium for postdoctoral scholars where senior PhD candidates and faculty are welcome to attend and participate.
